TOUCHING tributes have been paid to a popular teenager who died in a road crash just days before his 19th birthday.

William Andrews died in the crash on Saturday morning, September 28, after a white Ford Escort van carrying four passengers left the road and struck a tree in Leighams Road, Bicknacre.

William, of Shirebourn Vale, South Woodham Ferrers, who was due to celebrate his birthday next Tuesday, October 8, died at the scene.

Another man was taken to hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries and two others were treated for minor injuries.

His parents, Karen Munro and Michael Andrews, said: “William started his school life at Woodville Primary and then attended William de Ferrers School in South Woodham Ferrers.

“He was then looking forward to a bright future in the design and media industry and had just successfully completed a course in digital animation, at South Essex College.

“William was a happy, confident, determined and loving child, whose main happiness in life, was simply to please others.”

A number of tributes have also been left on William’s Facebook wall.

An Essex Police spokesman said a 21-year-old man from the Chelmsford area was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving while unfit through drink or drugs.

The man, who had been taken to hospital for treatment to injuries, was released on bail until October 10.

Any witnesses to the crash are urged to contact the Essex Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101 or e-mail collisionappeal@essex.pnn.police.uk.